You’ve almost certainly seen beautiful photos and videos of regional birds by Nicolas Bamberski, AKA Checkthetechnick on his social media accounts and on the Alameda Post. Bamberski’s striking images and videos of pelicans preening at Crab Cove, bald eagles diving at Martin Luther King Jr. Regional Shoreline as they head back to Bay Farm Island, and herons nesting at Seaplane Lagoon catch the spectacular charm of our regional marine birds. It comes as no surprise that his work was chosen for the prominent 2022 Audubon Photography Award.
Bamberski, a French photographer who presently calls Alameda house, recorded Great Blue Herons constructing their nests at Alameda Point, with sensational views of the San Francisco horizon in the background.
“Catching a single, revealing minute with a photo is always a difficulty– especially when birds and nature are included,” Audubon Publication editors composed. “Capturing compelling video of bird behavior can be an entirely different however similarly high task, one in which the videographer needs to be all set to tape-record and able to remain trained on their frequently unpredictable subject for a prolonged period. But when everything goes just right, the outcome is an extended glance into the remarkable lives of birds.”
Bamberski’s winning video was sixth amongst the leading 12 selected from all entries throughout the nation. He utilized a Panasonic Lumix G9 with a Lumix Leica DG Vario-Elmar 100-400mm at ~ 300mm; 1/125 sec at f/8; ISO car.
He explained the story behind his shot. “The Great Blue Heron is a year-round citizen of California and a frequent sight along our shores,” he composed. “The cypress tree in the video, in the fenced-off wetland of the old Navy base at Alameda Point, has acted as a remote nesting website for herons for many years. The tree is now dead and will not stand a lot longer.
“This winter season I intended to capture a video of the herons’ fascinating nest-building activity in the very best possible light conditions, which proved to be at sunrise on a cold Friday early morning, when the light increased behind me and brightened both the tree and downtown San Francisco, miles across the bay yet seeming so close. The fence safeguarding this wetland is a couple of hundred feet far from the tree, and I established my tripod far enough from that fence to compose the shot above it. Having to use a long focal length brought some nice compression in the image and actually highlighted the contrast, yet compatibility, between nature and civilization.
“I feel the structure itself reveals the benefits of devoting some city habitat to wildlife. I was expecting more nest structure like in previous weeks, with herons bringing branches and twigs back, however instead I was greeted with this wonderful breeding scene!”
From all of your fans here at the Alameda Post, congratulations, Nick!